In tooth restoration the bonding strength of restorative dental materials to tooth structure including enamel and dentin, is of great importance. Insufficient bonding strength can cause loss of the restoration or formation of marginal gaps generating recurrent caries.
To achieve sufficient bonding strength, a tooth surface treatment is normally required. Phosphoric acid in concentrations of about 36% is widely used as demineralizes enamel prisms, thus promoting a mechanical anchor effect for the resin.
Using phosphoric acid as an etchant, sufficient bonding strength can be reached in combination with a suitable dental adhesive composition. However, the use of phosphoric acid has disadvantages from a use and application point of view. Most notably, it must be washed off after application, requiring the time-consuming procedure of application, washing and drying. Also, as it is completely removed after etching, it does not have any priming effect on the tooth surface.
A need exists therefore, for a material which will cleanse and condition a tooth structure and which does not need to be washed off of the structure before a dental restorative is applied. A need also exists for such a material which will not only cleanse and condition the tooth structure, but which will also prime it to receive the restorative. A further need is to provide this tooth surface treatment composition as a single component.